Quality improvement guidelines for the treatment of acute pain and cancer pain Journal Article
| Author: | American Pain Society of Care Committee |
| Contributors: | Bookbinder, M.; Coyle, N.; Kiss, M.; Thaler, H. T. |
| Article Title: | Quality improvement guidelines for the treatment of acute pain and cancer pain |
| Abstract: | Objective.-To develop quality improvement (QI) guidelines and programs to improve treatment outcomes for patients with acute pain and cancer pain. Participants.-Twenty-four members of the American Pain Society (APS) participated in preparing the statement, including 15 nurses (oncology, general medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, and QI research), seven physicians (clinical pharmacology, neurology, anesthesiology, radiation oncology, and physiatry), one psychologist, and one statistician. Participants were self-selected from the 3000 members of the APS, which supported the process and held annual open committee meetings and scientific symposia beginning in 1988. Evidence.-MEDLINE was searched (1980 to 1995) to identify all articles on pain assessment, treatment of acute pain or cancer pain, and QI or education related to pain. Consensus Process.-Following panel discussions, one member (M.B.M.) prepared successive drafts and circulated them to the panel and APS membership for comments. After publication of a prototype version in 1991, 14 panelists carried out formal studies of implementation of the guidelines at three medical centers. This article was prepared based on this research, a new literature review, and suggestions from 50 pain clinicians and researchers. Conclusions.-Quality improvement programs to improve treatment of acute pain and cancer pain should include five key elements: (1) Assuring that a report of unrelieved pain raises a ''red flag'' that attracts clinicians' attention; (2) making information about analgesics convenient where orders are written; (3) promising patients responsive analgesic care and urging them to communicate pain; (4) implementing policies and safeguards for the use of modem analgesic technologies, and (5) coordinating and assessing implementation of these measures. Several short-term studies suggest that this QI approach may improve patient satisfaction and facilitate recognition of institutional obstacles to optimal pain treatment, but it is not a panacea for undertreated pain. By making the magnitude of the problem apparent and committing the institution to change, pain treatment QI programs can provide a foundation for a multifaceted approach that includes education of clinicians and patients, design of informational tools to minimize errors in prescribing, and improved coordination of the process of assessing and treating pain. |
| Keywords: | education; children; management; attitudes; knowledge; patient; care; inpatients; undertreatment; medical-students |
| Journal Title: | JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association |
| Volume: | 274 |
| Issue: | 23 |
| ISSN: | 0098-7484 |
| Publisher: | American Medical Association |
| Date Published: | 1995-12-20 |
| Start Page: | 1874 |
| End Page: | 1880 |
| Language: | English |
| ACCESSION: | WOS:A1995TK14700031 |
| DOI: | 10.1001/jama.1995.03530230060032 |
| PROVIDER: | wos |
| PUBMED: | 7500539 |
| Notes: | Article -- Source: Wos |
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13Bookbinder
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